The Tale of the Intrepid Explorer
by Rhadeya
Summary: Please R&R! After 10 long years, Captain Jack Sparrow finally has his beloved Black Pearl back. But where did she come from originally... and where did Jack get that compass...?
1. Old Friends ReUnited

_**Disclaimer:** Pirates of the Caribbean and its characters etc are the property of Disney. No money is being made from the writing or internet publishing of this story, so please don't sue :-) The original characters, ships and story are the property of me and are not to be used without my express permission. _

_**Author's Notes:** Several chapters are written as "flash backs" and this will be noted at the beginning of the chapter. If it doesn't say _***Flashback***_ in the author's notes at the start, it's in present time (just after the end of the movie). I apologise if ppl find this story fairly dark but I believe Jack carries a lot of personal demons and that's what I'm exploring :)  
_

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**#1 – Old Friends Re-United**

A crescent moon hung low in the sky, its pale light leeching the colour from everything it touched. Beneath it, a lone ship slipped quietly through calm seas; a knife slicing through the rich, dark blue silk of the ocean. Above it, stars shone brightly; a thousand diamonds scattered across the black velvet of the night sky.

"Holdin' in the rain," A male voice murmured quietly to the darkness, as he looked up at the sky. His tone was soft, almost loving, as he stood at the helm of his ship, his hands gently caressing the smooth wood of the ship's wheel. For ten years he'd been separated from the one thing he cared for most in the world, the one thing he was willing to risk his life to recapture.  


_The Black Pearl  
_

After years of torment and pain, listening to increasingly gruesome tales about the exploits of his mutinous first mate Barbossa and the way she'd been used, he finally had her back. She was more than just a ship; she was his wife, his mistress, his one true love, and he'd never let her be taken away from him again. He was finally back where he belonged, free to go where he chose without restriction. He breathed a small, happy sigh and turned his attention back to the dark horizon, knowing exactly where he was heading.

A slight scrapping noise alerted him to the presence of another person on deck, and he remained silent, waiting to see who appeared before him. He hid a smile as Gibbs slowly staggered up the steps towards him, the smell of rum preceding the older man and making Jack suddenly thirsty.

"Thought ya might need a drink Sir," Gibbs told him, his speech slightly slurred.

"Sounds like you've had more than enough for both of us," Jack replied, his tone amused.

"Aye, that I ave Sir, but I figured you'd maybe be needin a little sip bout now."

"Aye, that I do," Jack murmured, gratefully taking the bottle of rum Gibbs offered him. With practised ease, he uncorked the bottle and took a large swig, quickly swallowing the bitter liquid. Jamming the cork back into the bottle, he handed it back to his First Mate, smiling slightly as a gentle warmth began to spread through his body.

"So, you an the Pearl getting re-acquainted then Captain?"

"No need. We know each other far too well."

"Aye, I must say ya do look mighty at home."

"Oh yes, I'm right where I belong," Jack told him, a secretive half smile tugging at his lips.

"Bootstrap's lad, he happened to ask how ya came by that compass..." Gibbs suddenly said. Though he tried to sound casual, his own curiosity was clear.

"Hmmm, did he indeed?" Jack muttered softly, speaking to himself more than the man beside him before he lapsed into a thoughtful silence.

The silence stretched from seconds to minutes as Jack thought about the compass, and the person who had given it to him. Finally, he turned his head slightly and looked at his First Mate. 

"Well, I guess it's about time someone knew..." 

"Sir?"

"Sit down Gibbs, an I'll tell ya the story of the compass... and the woman who gave it to me," His voice soft, Jack motioned his friend to sit down. "It's a cold night, an we need somethin to wile away the long hours til dawn..."

"Aye, that we do Captain," Gibbs replied, settling himself down on the smooth deck beside Jack and waiting.

Taking another long swig from the bottle of rum, Jack tried to compose his scattered thoughts, trying to decide where to begin.

"May as well start at the beginnin. It all started when I was First Mate aboard a ship called the "Intrepid Explorer". She was a fine ship, captained by a man named James Wolf, a notorious pirate back then. Let's see, it must be nigh on fifteen year ago now, long before I set eyes on the Pearl..." As he spoke, Jack's eyes became slightly unfocused and he lost himself in his memories...  



	2. The Intrepid Explorer

_**Disclaimer:** Pirates of the Caribbean and its characters etc are the property of Disney. No money is being made from the writing or internet publishing of this story, so please don't sue :-) The original characters, ships and story are the property of me and are not to be used without my express permission. _

_**Author's Notes:** This chapter is written as a _***Flashback***_ Apologies for the short first chapter, this one is longer, I promise :) This is set approx 15 years before the film..._

_Many thanks to Otherhawk for the review, here's part 2 just for you ;-)_

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**#2 – The "Intrepid Explorer"**

The first rays of sun began to spread through the strange half-light of dawn, like molten gold flowing across the ocean, bringing with it a new day. Jack stood at the bow of a beautifully crafted ship, looking out over the ocean and watching the display of lights on the water. Suddenly a dolphin leapt from the water in the ship's bow wave, slicing back under the surface with extraordinary grace and agility. A smile spread across his face as he watched a second dolphin join the first, then another until there were five jumping and swimming an intricate dance just ahead of the ship. They were a beautiful sight to behold, free and untamed, just like Scarlet...

"_Mr._ Sparrow!" A deep male voice boomed, coming from the helm of the ship and interrupting his silent musing. Jack spun round to face the direction of the shout, hiding his fear as he saw the serious expression on the face of the speaker.

"Yes, Sir?" he answered, his hands shaking slightly though his voice remained calm. 

"Come here boy!"

"Yes Captain," Jack replied, walking slowly towards the heavily set man at the helm. He had no idea if he was in trouble, but he suspected he probably wasn't. He knew that Captain Wolf was fond of him; he saw Jack as the son he had never managed to have. Although, given Jack's _uncertain_ parentage and his mother's _familiarity_ with Wolf, the Captain may well have been Jack's natural father. He stopped a few paces from the Captain, waiting to discover the reason for the summons.

"I understand you were _entertained_ during our stop at Tortuga?" Wolf queried, his tone serious.

"Yes Sir..." Confused, Jack remained still, not daring to look at his Captain.

"Did you enjoy yourself boy?"

"What?" Jack exclaimed, looking up at his Captain. A shiver of fear ran down his spine as he waited for a reprimand from Wolf, wondering if he should not have allowed himself to become involved with the pretty young strumpet.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Wolf repeated, his voice low and his tone soft. A slight smile tugged at the lips of the older man as he looked down at the young man he considered his son. The gentle morning breeze ruffled his dark brown hair, while the morning sun caused the streaks of grey to shine like polished silver.

"Yes Sir, I did. Was I not supposed to dally with the young wench?" Jack whispered, his tone anguished. He was a pirate; breaking the rules was part of his everyday life, but the very idea of somehow disappointing the man he thought of as his father was more than young Jack could bear.

"Orianna tells me that young Scarlet enjoyed herself a great deal. Apparently you greatly exceeded her expectations..." Leaving the sentence unfinished, Wolf smiled at Jack, a hint of pride in his green eyes. "Don't worry Jack, ya didn't do nothing wrong. Long as ya treat em good and don't go hittin em or nothing, you'll never be short of pleasurable company."

"I'll be sure ta keep that in mind Cap'n," Jack replied, a roguish look on his face.

"You're a fine man Jack," laughed Wolf, clipping the younger man round the ear playfully. "Now get back t' work."

"Yes Sir!" Bowing jauntily, Jack headed back towards the bow of the ship and began securing rigging lines, whistling a merry little tune as he worked.

  
  
The sunset that night was one Jack would always remember; the varying shades of reds, yellows and purples made the sky appear to be on fire. Jack watched in fascination as the colours changed and darkened, and the sun sank slowly beneath the horizon. He'd been feeling rather good about life in general all day, helped in no small measure by the knowledge that his Captain not only loved him as a son, but was also beginning to respect him as a man. He watched the last rays of sun fade into night, then turned and headed for the Captain's stateroom. The two men always shared the evening meal together; it had become a tradition they always upheld, even when they were in port. Entering the large, richly decorated room, Jack took his customary place at the table, to the right of Captain Wolf, and waited for the two cabin boys to finish bringing in the food. 

"So, how ya feeling tonight Jack? Well rested and ready for action?" 

"Aye, that I am James. Are we headin anywhere in particular?" The curiosity in Jack's voice brought a smile to Wolf's tanned, weathered face. It was one of Wolf's few idiosyncrasies that he insisted, when they were alone together during the evening meal, that Jack called him James. It had taken many years to get Jack to do it and, now he was older, he finally understood what an honour it was.

"Ever heard of Port William?"

"Aye, it be a new town, some three days sail from here."

"That's right m'lad. An it be a wealthy town at that. The Governor there is a little picky about those he allows to dock, so we'll be having a bit of a fight on our hands, no doubt."

"So that's why we docked in Tortuga last night? So the crew would be well rested an happy afore we go into battle?"

"Ah, I always knew you were a smart lad Jack!" Wolf laughed, clapping his hand on the young man's shoulder and giving it a little squeeze. Jacks smiled back, pleased he had once more made his captain proud. "Won't be long afore ya be Cap'n of your own ship, lad, with a mind that sharp."

"No Sir, I'll always be you're First Mate!"

"Jack, m'lad, I won't be around forever y'know. One day ya may even come to love your own ship as much as I loves the Explorer. But let's not think of such things now lad, we've much preparin to do before we be reaching Port William."

"Aye, that we do," Jack agreed, digging in to the delicious food before him. Their conversation was friendly throughout the rest of the meal, dealing with plans for the forthcoming attack, but Jack could not seem to shake the strange feeling of worry that had begun gnawing at his heart.

  
  
Stifling a yawn, Jack walked slowly towards the bow of the Intrepid Explorer just as the sun began to emerge from the horizon. Taking his customary place by the railing, he rested his arms on the smooth wood and looked out at the ocean ahead of him. Sleep had done nothing to assuage the feeling of worry inside him, but a quick glance over his shoulder at the helm brought him a small measure of comfort. Captain James Wolf stood at the wheel, his eyes fixed on the horizon, looking as strong and healthy as he always did. Although he would never admit it, the thought of being Captain of his own ship had indeed crossed Jack's mind in the past. The years onboard the Explorer had opened his eyes to a world he had only been dimly aware of before. When, as a gawky lad of fifteen, he'd first sailed out from England with Wolf, he had never imagined the sights he would see, nor the people he would meet. Now, five years later, he was not only a lithe, fit young man but First Mate on the most notorious pirate vessel in the Caribbean. He always attracted the attention of the young ladies whenever they were in port, and had earned quite a reputation as a ladies man. Only Captain Wolf knew that his encounter with Scarlet in Tortuga two days before was the first time Jack had had sex. He was skilled with both sword and pistol, and had never been beaten in a fight.

  
  
A slight movement in the water ahead of him caught Jacks attention, and he silently cursed his inattentiveness. Varying sized pieces of wood were in their path and it took Jack a moment to realise their origin as he stared out at the sight before him. 

"Captain! Ship ahoy, dead ahead!" he bellowed, feeling the ship beneath him begin to turn as Wolf hauled the wheel around, turning them hard to port in an attempt to steer the ship away from the burning wreck in their path. 

"Heave to and take in sail!" Wolf barked, thankful for the calm seas and light wind. The crew scurried around, furling sails and lowering both anchors to halt their forward passage.

"Launch the boats. We'll look for survivors first, then plunder anything we can retrieve!" Jack shouted, knowing the crew would obey his orders as their First Mate. Hurrying to the waist, Jack helped the sailors lower the boats, joining one crew while Wolf joined another. Rowing out to the wreck, Jack thought there was little chance of finding anyone still alive, but Wolf was adamant that survivors were the main priority whenever they came across the victim of another pirate's attack.

_"Ransoms are easy money lad."_ Wolf had told him when Jack had asked the reason he insisted on that particular rule. Several times since then, Jack had seen the wisdom of those words; bartering with a rich family, for the safe return of a loved one, had indeed proved easy money. A flicker of green in his peripheral vision drew Jack's gaze and he saw two bodies in the water, both female, arms draped over a section of the broken mainmast, heads just above the surface. 

"There!" he snapped to the oarsmen, grabbing a handful of material as he reached down and hauled one of the women into the boat. Checking for a pulse, he discovered she was still alive; a nod from one of the sailors indicated that her young companion was also still breathing. They continued their search, but found no more survivors amongst the burning wreckage. 

"Return to the ship," he ordered, knowing the other crews would bring back any further survivors and plunder they had managed to salvage from the wreckage. As soon as the boat touched the side of the ship, Jack climbed aboard and lifted the eldest girl's unconscious form in his arms, carrying her towards the stern. Gently laying her on the smooth wood of the Quarter Deck, he reached down and brushed the hair from her face. He froze, his fingers still lightly touching her face, as her eyes opened and she looked up at him, her gaze steady and showing no hint of fear...

  
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_My, that was a long chapter wasn't it? Seems to have posed more questions than it answered though, eh? So come one, hit that review button... you know you want to..._

_And yes, I do know there are several double negatives in there LOL_

_*Self confessed Feedback junkie* :)_  



	3. Ashanae

_**Disclaimer**: Still don't own anything except the original characters, ships and story. Please do not use them without my express permission. _

_**Author's Notes**: This chapter is written as a _

***Flashback***_ and takes place approx 15 years prior to the start of the movie. _

_Please bear with me if future chapters take longer to be posted than normal, but as well as working full time, I'm starting the first year of my degree (study from home) on 19th Jan so chapters may take a little longer to get finished._

__

**"Reibia**_" is Welsh for "_**Raven**_"_

"**Annar**_" is Icelandic for "_**Other**_" and "_**Halcon**_" is Spanish for "_**Hawk**_" ;-) _

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**#3 – Ashanae**

Jack stared into the sapphire blue eyes of the eldest of the two girls they had rescued from the burning wreck of the HMS Audacious, surprised to see only curiosity in her steady gaze.

"Where is my cousin? Is she alive?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Skinny little thing, bout thirteen, blonde hair? Wearin a blue dress?"

"Yes, that would be her," she murmured, a trace of humour in her tone.

"She be fine, miss. She's been taken t' the Captain's stateroom. I'm Jack Sparrow, First Mate of the Intrepid Explorer. You be safe now, savvy?"

"Ashanae Reibia," she introduced herself. "My cousin is Annar Halcon. Her father is the Governor of Port William, and yes, I understand. So what will be done with us now... _pirate_?" she wanted to know, regarding him calmly.

"We'll take ye back t' ye family," Jack answered, hiding a smile. Her bravery impressed him, although he'd never admit it. He also found her very attractive, in a posh, stuck up, straight-laced sort of way.

"And return us unharmed... in exchange for a hearty ransom?"

"You're very smart... for a _woman_."

"And _you_ are..." Exhaustion, along with the pain of her injuries, finally caught up with Ashanae and she slumped back against the wooden deck, unconscious. More than a little irritated by the sentence left unfinished, Jack knelt down and gently lifted the injured woman in his arms. With a small sigh, he carried her to his own humble cabin and laid her on the generous bed. Knowing he was going to have hell to pay when she awoke, he quickly stripped her dress from her and stopped as his breath caught in his throat at the sight before him. The thin under dress covering her body hid little from his imagination, and he felt his pulse quicken as he looked at her. 

  
A delicately boned face, with skin as pale as ivory, was framed by hair as black as a Raven's wings. A large bruise, beginning to turn a dark shade of purple, covered one side of her face and Jack felt a strange stab of anger; it was as if the very presence of the ugly injury was offensive to him, though he didn't know why. She was of slender build; her waist was slim, yet the curves of breast and hip were full, and her entire body was covered in bruises and cuts. Sliding the wet material up a little, Jack discovered a long gash on her left leg, which stretched from her knee to mid-thigh.

"Bloody ell! That's gonna need stitchin," he muttered. Rising to his feet, Jack slipped from the room and headed over to the Captain's stateroom. Knocking on the hard wood, he waited until he heard Wolf bark "Enter!" before he stepped into the room. On the bed at the far end of the room, young Annar sat huddled in the corner, her eyes filled with fear. She let out a small squeak of terror as she spotted Jack, quickly covering her mouth as the Captain looked sharply in her direction.

"What is it Jack?" he snapped, sounding thoroughly irritated.

"Cap'n, the other survivor, Miss Reibia... she be needin medical attention Sir."

"Why? What's wrong with her?"

"She have some nasty injuries Sir, at least one I saw be needin stitches."

"Very well. I shall be there directly. Treat anything you can, I'll see t' the rest," he ordered, dismissing Jack with a slight nod of his head. 

"Aye Sir." Turning on his heel, Jack left the room and headed back down to his cabin. As he entered the room, he saw Ashanae had not moved and he sighed again, wondering whether the girl would pull through. The depressions on her chest indicated she had several broken ribs, but Jack had no idea if there were any internal injuries. The worst of the cuts would be stitched by Wolf, but she would always carry the scars of this fateful day. Shaking his head, he quickly set to work cleaning the wounds and dressing the minor injuries, while he waited for his Captain to arrive.

  
Later that night Jack entered Wolf's stateroom as he always did and sank into his customary chair, physically and emotionally exhausted by the long day. He was a little annoyed to see the younger girl sat opposite him, but his face remained empty of emotion.

"So Jack, how is our other guest doing?"

"Not well Sir. While we've treated her injuries, she has a fever on her. Long as she can fight it, there be no reason she can't make a full recovery," the younger man answered. Carefully keeping his gaze fixed on his Captain, and away from Annar, his eyes conveyed the extreme concern he had about her condition.

"I see. Well, I am placing you in charge of our guests, Mr Sparrow. You are to see that they have all they need... and that they remain _unharmed_. We will deliver them safely to Port William." The Captain's tone told Jack that should any man among the crew lay so much as one finger on either girl, the First Mate would be held solely responsible.

"Aye Sir!"

"Now, I suggest we all have something to eat and get some rest." Casting a sly sideways glance at Jack, James Wolf turned his attention to the girl. "Eat child, and do not fret. Jack is a fine young man and we will not allow any harm to come to you. You will soon be safely returned to your family."

"Thank you sir," she replied meekly, glancing up at Jack for a brief moment. Seeing the warm smile on his face, she smiled in response and reached timidly for a small piece of bread. Jack winked at her, schooling his face into a mask of impish innocence and she laughed, tucking in to the rich food hungrily.

  


By the time they had finished their meal, young Annar's fear had subsided and she had opened up to the two pirates. She told them of her father, of life in England and of her father's hopes of a good marriage for her when she was of age. The coy looks she kept throwing in Jack's direction told both men the main reason she was no longer afraid; several times Wolf had to quickly turn a laugh into a _coughing_ fit to hide his enjoyment of Jack's squirming.

  


Jack escorted Annar back to his cabin and settled her on the small cot at the far end of the room. He halted her protests by telling her that, due to her cousin's serious condition, it would be unwise for her to share the ample bed Ashanae currently occupied. The younger woman was understandably unhappy about the situation but eventually acquiesced and settled down on the small cot. She drifted off to sleep quickly, and Jack breathed a silent sigh of relief that she was finally quiet. Satisfied that he would not have to worry about the Governor's young daughter for several hours, Jack seated himself on the floor opposite his own bed. He leant back against the smooth wood of the wall behind him as his gaze fell on the injured girl.

_"I wonder if the poor girl will recover?"_ he thought idly. He watched the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest, not happy that her breathing was quick and shallow. Her thin under dress was soaked in sweat and occasionally she would twitch violently, a pained moan escaping her lips as her body fought the fever. 

_"No, not a girl. A brave, intelligent woman,"_ he corrected himself silently. _"I just hope she has the strength to conquer the fever."_ Now he had time to study her more closely, he realised that Ashanae was no girl; she was a beautiful woman. He guessed her age at about nineteen, only a year or so younger than himself. One thing he found strange was that she wore neither wedding nor engagement ring.

_"Surely her beauty has stolen some man's heart?"_ he mused. He was certain she would attract a great deal of attention amongst her own social peers; the rough, worldly men of the crew had definitely taken notice of her during the short time she had been in the boat after her rescue. Watching her closely, thoughts of a different nature began entering Jack's mind; how would her bare skin feel beneath his hands? Would being with her feel different to being with Scarlet? With erotic thoughts filling his mind, Jack eventually drifted off to sleep a few hours before dawn.

  
The pale light of dawn woke Jack from a deep sleep, and it took him a moment to realise where he was, and why. As he recalled the events of the previous day, his eyes fell on the still form of the injured woman and he quietly got to his feet. Crossing to the bed, he laid his hand on Ashanae's brow and was disturbed to feel her temperature had risen. He glanced across at the younger girl, noting with satisfaction that she was still asleep, then slipped from the room in search of his Captain. Wolf was in his customary place at the helm, his eyes fixed on the horizon.

"Cap'n, the woman's fever be gettin worse. Is there any more we can do?"

"I fear we have done all we can Jack. Stay with her. Try to draw the fever out."

"How, sir?" 

"Gather extra blankets from my cabin. Wrap her in them tightly, but be mindful to keep a damp, cold cloth to her face. It will help to draw the fever from her. There are some herbs in the chest beneath my bed. Take a little from the blue bag with the gold tie, mix it in some rum and make her drink it. It may help," Wolf told him, though his tone suggested he thought her survival unlikely.

"Aye Sir!"

"Jack, keep the younger girl with you. If Miss Reibia should not make it, at least we won't be held responsible."

"Aye Cap'n," Jack replied. With a heavy heart, the First Mate collected the blankets and herbs from Wolf's quarters, then returned to his own cabin and did as the Captain had instructed.

  


Slowly stretching to ease out the kinks in his aching spine, Jack looked down at the woman beside him and sighed. After five days, her fever had finally broken but, two days later, she had not yet regained consciousness. The Intrepid Explorer was currently moored in a deserted cove while they waited for a severe hurricane to subside enough for them to continue on to Port William. As sometimes happens when a big storm is brewing, the winds had been so light they had made little headway in their journey. They were still at least a day and a half from their destination, if they had good winds after the storm. The crew were getting edgy about the fact that it had taken six days to travel a distance which should have taken them two. Mutterings about _bad luck with women aboard_ were becoming louder and more frequent as each day passed.

"I don't think it be bad luck havin ye aboard. Ye got an incredible strength... for a _woman_," Jack murmured. Shaking his head slightly, he closed his eyes and allowed the images of Ashanae he'd been pushing back to enter his mind.

"And _you_ are remarkably _civilised_... for a _pirate_."

As his brain registered the whispered words, Jack's eyes shot open and he looked down at the injured woman. Although she still retained a deathly pallor, her eyes were open and the barest hint of a secretive smile played across her lips...

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	4. Safe Harbour

_**Disclaimer**: Still own nothing except the original characters, ships and story. Please do not use without my express permission. _

_**Author's Note**s: This chapter is written as a _***Flashback***

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**#4 – Safe Harbour**

A silence fell between them as Jack looked down at the injured woman. Her deathly pallor would disappear in time, to be replaced by a more healthy colouring, but there was still an air of fragility about her that worried him. He wasn't certain whether she would have any lasting adverse effects from the fever, but he figured she was strong enough to deal with whatever life threw at her.

"I ain't civilised at all miss," he laughed, casting a leering look at her.

"No, it appears that you are not," she murmured, noticing for the first time that she wore only her thin under dress. "Tell me, Mr Sparrow, where are my clothes?"

"Yer dress was torn pretty bad when we rescued ye, but I be sure we can find ye somethin t' wear," Jack replied, his face serious.

"Please do," she requested. She remained silent as Jack got to his feet and headed for the door. As soon as the door closed behind him, Ashanae sighed and placed her hands on the bed beneath her. Gritting her teeth against the spasms of pain that shot through her, she slowly pushed herself upright. As soon as she did, a wave of nausea hit her and she swallowed hard against to bile which rose in her throat. Putting one hand against the hull to steady herself, she waited until the waves of nausea and dizziness ebbed away, then slowly began examining her injuries.

  
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Leaving the room, Jack headed up the steep stairs to the main deck and back towards the Captains cabin. Entering, he found Wolf seated at the table opposite Annar. He appeared to be trying to teach the girl how to play cards, but the look of amusement on his face told Jack that the girl wasn't a particularly adept pupil.

"Ah, Jack! Come and have a game of cards mate!" Wolf joked, winking in a conspiratorial fashion at Annar, who giggled in response.

"Perhaps later Cap'n," Jack grinned back. "Thought ye'd like t' know our other guest is awake, an demandin clothes."

"Is she indeed? Well, I must say I underestimated her will. Do we have anythin for her Jack?"

"No Sir. Her dress wuz ripped to badly t' repair, so we flung it. An we don't have no woman's clothes on board."

"Well, for now at least, she'll have to borrow something for one of the men. Ye be the thinnest of us Jack, somethin of yours may fit her," Wolf told him. The tone of his voice suggested that clothing was not the only thing of Jack's that Ashanae might be interested in. Hiding a smile, Jack nodded his understanding to his Captain and left the room, leaving Wolf to continue the card lessons.

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"Well, there goes his plans," Ashanae laughed to the empty room, her voice filled with a strange joy. Standing in front of the small mirror hung in Jack's cabin, she studied the angry red scar running along her jaw line. "Guess you're not going to be able to pawn me off onto that damned sailor now, are you Uncle?" she muttered to herself. She was so engrossed in examining her scars and bruises, she didn't hear the door open or Jack enter the room.

"Talkin t' yerself be the first sign o' madness miss," Jack advised her, suppressing a laugh.

"You should know," she snapped back, irritated by the interruption.

"Aye, miss, I should. An ye should be careful an all."

"Why? Your madness is _not_ contagious Mr Sparrow, unlike the numerous _diseases_ I'm sure you carry," she retorted disdainfully.

"An you'd know all bout diseases, wouldn't ye _princess_?" he bit back, his tone laden with sarcasm.

"You would be surprised what I know, Mr Sparrow," she replied, her voice thoughtful. "Now, are you going to give me some clothes? Or should I parade around in this?" she asked, pointing to the filthy garment she was wearing.

"Yer dress wuz too tattered to be repaired, so the Cap'n said I'm t' give ye some o' me clothes til ye get back home." Walking over to the bed, Jack knelt down and pulled a large chest from beneath it. Swinging the lid open, he withdrew a shirt, a faded jacket and a pair of trousers. "Here, these should do ye for now. Me boots won't fit ye, so it'll be bare feet for ye til we get t' Port William," he told her, shoving the clothes into her hands. Closing the chest, he shoved it back under the bed, then settled himself on the comfortable mattress.

  
  
The silence in the room stretched out as the pair regarded each other. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, Ashanae walked to the other side of the room and turned her back to the young pirate. On the small table in front of her stood a bowl of cold water and a clean piece of cloth. Stripping off the soiled dress, she quickly washed her upper body, ignoring the muffled gasp from the man behind her. Turning slightly to her left to pick up the clothes she'd been given, she caught a glimpse of Jack watching her intently and rolled her eyes in disgust. 

_"Looks like this is going to be a bloody fun trip!"_ she thought, as she donned her temporary attire. Tucking the shirt into her trousers, she was somewhat gratified to observe they were at least clean and didn't smell.

"Well, don't ye look grand," Jack said suddenly, breaking the oppressive silence which filled the room. "Ye might be needin this tho," he added, as she spun round to face him in surprise. Getting up, he crossed to stand in front of her and held out a long, dark red sash. 

"What for?" she wanted to know. Taking the strip of material, she looked down at it with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Here, let me." Taking the sash, Jack expertly wrapped it around her slender waist and tied it with a simple knot. Turning it round slightly, he positioned the knot against the front of her left hip and took a step back. "That'll do," he decided, nodding his head in satisfaction.

"So, how do I look, Mr Sparrow?" she asked, her voice quiet and oddly timid. Her posture and expression carried none of the arrogance or distain that had previously been evident; instead she appeared almost shy.

"Ye look grand lass. Ye could almost pass for one of us," he replied, the gentle smile on his face telling her he meant no offence in the comparison.

"Really? That's good," she murmured softly. There was a tone in her voice Jack didn't recognise, but he was sure she would elaborate later, if she wanted to. "Now, I think it is time I saw my cousin, and your captain."

  
  


Once the two women had made sure the other was in good health, and being taken care of, it was time for the evening meal. Young Annar was still having trouble adjusting to the movement of the ship, made more pronounced by the storm raging outside; yet her older cousin seemed unaffected by the constant, and sometimes violent, swaying. 

_"Almost as if she were made to be aboard a ship,"_ Jack thought as they ate, watching her circumspectly. Her colour was already improving and she ate heartily, replenishing energy reserves depleted by her sickness. Once the meal was finished, the four began playing cards and Ash proved a quick study; she learned more in two hours than her cousin had in a full seven-day. 

"Captain Wolf, may I make a small suggestion?" she asked, as she dealt another hand to each of the players. 

"Certainly Miss Reibia," James replied, smiling at her.

"You mentioned earlier that your ship has sustained minor damage from the storm?"

"Yes?"

"Well, I believe it might be prudent to remain anchored here for another few days. You can make any repairs which are needed... and it will allow my _condition_ to improve."

"Your condition Miss?" Wolf asked, casting a sideways glance at Jack, who shrugged noncommittally.

"The bruises, Captain. I think it would be _unwise_ for me to arrive in Port William, looking like I had been involved in a bar brawl. My Uncle may see them as _mistreatment_ while in your care, which may affect the amount of your _reward_..." she told him, careful not to look at her cousin.

"She has a point, Captain. My father is not a seafaring man, he would not understand that her injures all stemmed from the attack on our ship," Annar interjected suddenly.

"Very well. I estimate it's a two day journey to yer home, so we'll stay until yer injuries are less _evident_," he agreed. He suspected there was more to the request than the reason she had given, but did not press the matter while her cousin was present. "Now, where were we?" he asked, turning back to their game.

  
  


The four played well into the night, stopping only when Annar fell asleep at the table. Jack carried her back to his cabin, making sure to lock the door behind him, to prevent any unwanted attention for the girl while he was absent. As soon as he returned, the three adults continued their game, with the addition of some rum to help keep the chill of night at bay.

"So, do ye feel like tellin us the real reason ye be in no hurry to return to Port William, Miss Reibia?" Wolf asked, taking a swig from the large bottle of rum on the table.

"Firstly, Captain, my name is Ashanae. Miss Reibia is far too formal under these circumstances. It suffices when my cousin is present, but when she is not, please call me by my given name," she requested, smiling slightly.

"Very well, Ashanae. Why are ye wantin to delay yer return to yer family?"

"My reasons would seem silly, Captain," she replied honestly. She was still not sure she even understood them fully herself.

"Try us," Jack put in gently.

"Well..." she began, pausing as she tried to organise her scattered thoughts. "Several months ago, I received word from my Uncle that his daughter was joining him in Port William. He requested that I accompany her, to keep her safe on such a long journey, or so he claimed. It was only once we were several weeks out of England that I learned the real reason he wanted me to come. Annar had taken a liking to one of the sailors on the Audacious, and one night I found her on deck being sick. Apparently she had had a little too much to drink." The vaguely disgusted look on her face told the men she had little tolerance for her cousin's improprieties. 

"Not exactly proper behaviour for a young lady of her position," Wolf commented, clearly amused.

"No, it wasn't," she agreed. "After I dragged her back to our cabin, she blurted out the truth of the whole affair, including the fact that I was not there to protect her. She _informed_ me that her father had made an _advantageous_ match for me. My parents both died when I was thirteen and my mother's brother, Governor Halcon, was appointed as my legal guardian. We have never seen eye to eye on anything, so finding out he had arranged for me to marry someone I had never met made me a little angry."

"I'm not surprised!" Jack blurted out. He looked apologetically at Ash and motioned for her to continue.

"While she was sleeping off the drink the next day, I had a little word with the Captain. He had been unaware of what was going on, and confined my cousin to our quarters for the remainder of the journey. It was for her own safety, of course."

"Yes, of course," Wolf agreed, not bothering to hide the malicious smile which spread across his face.

"It was spiteful of me, I know, but I was so angry I didn't care. So, when we were attacked, I made sure Annar got out but I was rather hoping I would die that day. Better a watery grave than a life of servitude to a stranger," she concluded. Both men looked surprised, and more than a little horrified, at her words. "Like I said, my reasons are silly."

"Not at all lass. But surely ye be old enough now to make yer own decisions?"

"My Uncle is my guardian until I reach Twenty-one, which I will in three months time. Why do you think he chose now to marry me off?"

"Marry you to someone of his choosing before ye could legally chose for yerself eh?" Wolf guessed, shaking his head in disgust.

"Yes," she confirmed simply. "Now, if you will excuse me gentlemen, I think I could do with some air."

  
  


Stepping out onto the heaving deck, the cool rain and strong winds of the storm were like a slap in the face, instantly sobering the headstrong young woman. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of the ocean as if it were a finely fragranced flower. The rain quickly soaked her to the skin, but she remained where she was; leaning on the railing at the side of the ship, she felt a strange sense of freedom. Since the day she discovered her Uncle's plans for her, she had felt like a caged animal; filled with fury, yet utterly helpless. Footsteps behind her derailed her train of thought and she turned to see Jack standing inches away from her. 

"There wuz somethin more ye were goin t' say," he stated matter-of-factly, his tone daring her to contradict him.

"Yes, there was but it is no longer of any importance. All that matters is that things may turn out for the best after all," she replied cryptically.

"Ash, tell me."

"It really doesn't matter Mr Sparrow."

"If ye insist we calls ye Ashanae, then ye call me Jack. Fair's fair, ain't it?"

"I suppose it is," she laughed. 

"So tell me what else ye be thinkin?"

"All I was going to say, was that I doubt my fiancé will want me now," she shrugged.

"Why?"

"What man would want a woman with ugly scars like this?" she asked, raising her chin so the long scar on her jaw was clearly visible.

_"I would,"_ Jack thought, slowly reaching out his hand. As his fingers brushed the scar, they both felt a sudden pressure around them. In a split second, the air around them became overwhelmingly metallic tasting, and they looked up just in time to see a bolt of lightening streak across the sky and hit the main mast...

***********  
  
_Oooo! Cliff-hanger! Sorry about the length of this chapter, but there wasn't really a good place to stop until now. Next chapter will follow shortly (I'm on a bit of a roll tonight) but please review in the meantime, it helps me write faster. Also, I apologise for the lack of "action" so far... that will change in the very near future, I promise :-)_  



	5. Choice and Consequence

_**Disclaimer:** Still own nothing (and I *really* mean nothing LOL) except the original characters, ships and story. Please do not use them without my express permission. _

_**Author's Notes:** This chapter is written as a _***Flashback***_ Apologies for the length of the last chapter. This story had other places to go, exciting and angsty places, but the almost complete lack of interest is soul destroyingly depressing. So that's it. Over. Done. My writing days are finished._

_Jack: Ye don't mean that, yer just tired._

_Me: No, I do mean it. What's the point in carrying on without feedback?_

_Jack: What do ye mean, no feedback? Otherhawk has reviewed every chapter so far!_

_Me: Yes, she has and I am eternally grateful to her for it. But it doesn't change anything._

_Jack: But ye haven't got to the bit where I get the Black Pearl yet, nor how I got betrayed and earned my legendary reputation! Come t' think about it, ye haven't even got t' the bit where I gets the girl!_

_Norrington: I have looked at the end, and it seems that *I* get the girl *smug grin*_

_Jack: Bugger off Norrington. She's my girl, not yours!_

_Norrington: Not yet she's not, and if our dear author stops now, you won't get her at all._

_Jack: Ye can't stop now! If ye quit now, bloody Norrington is goin t' win! And get me girl!_

_Me: Tell that to *them*. If I get some more reviews, I'll keep going. Otherwise, if I ever finish this fic, it will be purely to send to Otherhawk for her to read_

_Jack: Hey, you lot! Unless ye want Norrington to win, ye better get reviewing so she don't quit writing!_

_Norrington: Face it Jack, I am going to win this one!_

_Me: Men! *rolls eyes and walks off, ignoring the sound of clashing swords behind her*_

************************

**#5 – Choice and Consequence**

Time seemed to slow down, as the two youngsters watched the scene unfold in fascinated horror. The lightning struck the top of the main mast, arced down onto the rigging and slithered down the wet ropes, ran along the top of the railing and onto the anchor rope. Jack reacted instantly, pulling Ash back into the relative safety of Wolf's cabin, where the deck was dry. The ship shook violently, as a second bolt followed the first and the top three feet of the main mast exploded, raining burning fragments down onto the deck below. The heavy rain rapidly extinguished the fires, and it was only due to Wolf's foresight that the main mast remained standing. The deafening boom as the strikes took place woke the crew, but they remained below decks, as they had been taught to do. The Captain, First Mate and their guest stayed in Wolf's cabin, each silently counting the seconds between lightning flash and the resulting rumble of thunder. Once their counts reached ten or more on five consecutive flashes, Wolf sighed and slowly opened the door. The sight which greeted them, chilled each to the bone.

  
  


The main deck was littered with charred lumps of wood, and the main topsail was gone, along with its spar. The mainsail beneath it appeared to have faired little better; the burning chunks of mast had gouged large holes into it. The lower mainsail appeared to have escaped damage, but would need to be taken down for closer inspection. The upper shrouds were gone, burnt away when the top of the mast exploded. The main mast was swaying heavily in the wind, its ropes creaking as the heavy wood fought against its bindings.

"How the hell is the mast still standing?" Ashanae demanded, shouting above the howling wind. "The rigging is gone!"

"Aye, the main rigging be gone but Cap'n Wolf had a second set put up, lower down the mast. Said it wuz insurance gainst unexpected incidents," Jack shouted back. He pointed to the shrouds lower on the mast, secured just below the spar which held the mainsail.

"Jack, rouse the crew. We need t' secure the mainmast and get the mainsail down. Clearing the deck can wait," Wolf barked at his First Mate, as he turned and walked towards the thick mast. Jack ran for the hatch, hurrying down to muster the bewildered crew. Ash paused for a moment, still shocked by the destruction around her, then hurried after the captain. Mindful she was still barefoot, she carefully wound her way across the violently swaying deck and quickly reached the captain.

"Let me help," she said, her words whipped away by the wind even though her voice was raised. Wolf understood nonetheless and looked down at her, a myriad of emotions running across his face as he tried to decide whether to accept her offer. After a moment, he nodded and pointed to the debris littering the deck around them. 

"There are some old sacks in the aft hold. Use em t' collect as much of this debris as ye can lass," he told her, giving her a gentle push towards the hatch.

  
  


The crew worked through the remainder of the night, securing additional ropes to the main mast to compensate for the ones which had been destroyed. One of the pirates, tying ropes to the top of the main mast, was thrown into the heaving ocean as the ship bucked wildly. 

"Man overboard!" Two men shouted, as they ran to the side. They threw ropes into the water for the fallen comrade, but the deadly ocean had already claimed him. Whether by some miracle, or just pure luck, both anchor ropes were intact, though the starboard side rope would need replacing as soon as they reached Port William. Ash worked tirelessly, clearing the debris from the decks, stopping only for a few moments when Jack came to advise her that he had looked in on Annar, and found her sleeping soundly. The news only seemed to increase the contempt her older cousin felt towards the Governor's daughter, and pushed Ash to work even harder. An hour or so before dawn, the wind died and the Captain ordered the men to rest; the repairs could wait until morning, now that the main mast was secure. Still running on adrenaline, Ashanae remained on deck after the crew had gone below, gazing out at the small island nearby.

"Ye should be restin," Jack told her, coming to stand beside her at the railing. 

"I know, but I don't think I could sleep at the moment," she replied, her voice weary.

"Aye, been an eventful night, ain't it?" 

"Yes, it has at that. It appears I tempted fate by saying we should stay a few more days. Perhaps the men are right..." her voice trailed off as she became lost in her own thoughts.

"Bout what?"

"What?" she asked, snapping out of her reverie.

"The men be right bout what?"

"Oh. Perhaps they are right about it being bad luck to have a woman onboard."

"Nah, we'd ave to ave taken shelter during a storm like that anyways. Can't stop the weather Ash," he reassured her, placing his hand on her shoulder without thinking. For a brief moment, they looked at each other and saw past the pirate and high born lady, to the fragile spirits within. The boat swayed slightly and the moment passed.

"I had better get a little rest. There will be lots to do after the sun rises," she murmured, stepping away from Jack's gentle touch.

"Aye, that there will," Jack agreed, quietly. He watched as she walked away, ignoring the sudden tightness in his chest. "Sleep well, my lady," he whispered, walking slowly towards the helm. Shaking his head, he laid down on the damp deck and closed his eyes. Sleep was a long time coming, for both of them.

  
  


The repairs to the Intrepid Explorer continued for the next five days, until the captain was finally satisfied that his ship was as seaworthy as they could temporarily make her. The mood amongst the crew was dark; they were exhausted and a further four men had died since the night of the lightning strike, bringing the death toll to five. Accusations about the women being bad luck were no longer confined to quiet mutterings below decks; the looks cast at them by the pirates were openly hostile now. Fair winds sped them on their journey, and they finally arrived in Port William two weeks after they had discovered the burning wreck of the HMS Audacious. Captain Wolf sent word to the Governor that his daughter and niece were safe, but that their return would cost him 500 gold pieces. 

  
  


Several hours later, word reached them that Governor Halcon had agreed to pay their _reward_, and was on his way to deliver the money himself. Ashanae sat quietly in Jack's cabin; her cousin had already gone up on deck to wait for her father, leaving the older girl alone with her thoughts.

"Penny for em," Jack said gently, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"For what?"

"Yer thoughts."

"Oh, them. I was just thinking that, at least I have a small taste of freedom to remember, once mine is taken away."

"Thought ye said yer fiancé wouldn't want ye now, with the scars like."

"It seems I was wrong. My injuries were explained to both my Uncle and my _fiancé_, and the wedding is to go ahead as planned," she told him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at the pirate beside her, wishing she had indeed died the day her ship was attacked.

"Don't cry lass. I'm sure he be a good man," Jack reassured her, gathering her into his arms. He stroked her hair gently as she cried, wishing there was something he could do to ease her pain.

"That's just it Jack. I don't want a _good man_..." she confessed, raising her head from his shoulder and looking into his eyes. "I want you..." she whispered, as he lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers. The air around them was charged with electricity, as if lightning were about to strike nearby. The movement of the ship, the sound of the waves breaking against the hull; all faded away as the world narrowed to encompass only the two youngsters. Fire coursed through their veins as they kissed, giving in to their passion and releasing the tension which had built between them.

  
  


The sound of Captain Wolf's raised voice caused Ashanae to pull away suddenly, but she leant back in to lay a last, tender kiss upon Jack's lips to lessen the shock of her abrupt withdrawal. Jack looked at her, the pain in his chest threatening to overwhelm him as he saw the resignation in her eyes.

"Time to go," she murmured sadly. Getting to their feet, Jack and Ashanae slowly made their way up onto deck. A group of six men stood beside the Explorer's Captain; three redcoats, a young man in Naval uniform bearing the insignia of Lieutenant, a well dressed servant, and an older man, richly dressed. The latter looked at Jack disdainfully, his disgust evident as he took in the rough pirate garb his niece was wearing. Annar stood beside her father, her expression a mixture of joy and twisted pleasure at her cousin's fate. 

"Ashanae, I am so glad you are alive," Governor Halcon exclaimed, stepping forward to embrace his niece. Ash's entire body stiffened and she kept her arms firmly by her sides, refusing to return the insincere gesture of affection. He released her and turned to Wolf, his face carefully schooled into an expression of seeming gratitude. "Thank you for the safe return of my daughter and my niece, _Captain_."

"Their safe return was the least I could do, _Governor_," Wolf replied, his own face a mask of stone. Only his eyes betrayed his dislike of the man standing before him.

"Indeed. Very well, it is time for us to leave." The Governor held out his arm for his daughter to take, and swept past the soldiers, ignoring his niece completely. Ashanae followed slowly, her shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. The remaining men followed her from the ship and down onto the smooth stone of the dock. Furious about Halcon's treatment of his niece, Jack went to go after them, but Wolf's firm hand on his shoulder restrained him.

"There's nothing ye can do for her now, Jack."

Fists clenched, Jack Sparrow watched as the woman who had stolen his heart walked slowly away from the docks, her waist encircled by the arm of Lieutenant James Norrington...

**************

_Well, there ye go. I guess Norrington wins this one after all :-(_  



	6. You Just Left?

_**Disclaimer:** Still don't own them, but I'm beginning to think they own me LOL The original characters, ships and story are still mine though. Please do not use them without my express permission. _

_**Author's Notes:** This chapter is in the _***Present***_ and it's a fairly short one._

_Jack: Thought ye said yer weren't doing this anymore?_

_Me: Well, Otherhawk has been really nice, you won't leave me alone and I'm trying to hide cos I just looked at my study books and then bolted in terror! Anyway, what are you still doing here?_

_Jack: I'm captain Jack Sparrow, luv_

_Me: And?_

_Jack: And ye know ye want me t' get the girl, instead of bloody Norrington_

_Me: Well, yes but..._

_Jack: But nothing luv, ye keep going and make sure I gets me girl, savvy?_

_Norrington: I don't think so, Mr Sparrow. The girl..._

_Jack: She has a name y'know mate, and she's MY girl!_

_Norrington: *ignoring Jack* As I was saying, the girl is about to marry me, if our dear author would just GET ON WITH IT!_

_Me: There's no need to shout mate_

_Jack: Yer soundin more like me everyday darlin!_

_Norrington: Indeed!_

_Me: Quit arguing you two, I'm trying to think!_

_Jack & Norrington: Just write the chapter already!_

_Jack: An you, dear reader, don't forget to review. That way, I'll get me girl, savvy?_

************************

**#6 – You just left?**

Jack lapsed into silence as, for the first time, he fully considered the implications of his actions. Would things have been different in his life if he hadn't let her leave? Would he have been through everything he had, if he'd fought for her, there and then? Or would her Uncle have hunted them down to get her back? He doubted the arrogant, petty little man would have gone to so much trouble...

"So ye jus left 'er there?" Gibbs demanded, interrupting Jack musings.

"Didn't have a choice, mate," Jack admitted, his voice sad.

"But ye liked 'er didn't ye? An she obviously didn't wanna stay an 'ave marry Norrington. So why didn't ye go after 'er?"

"It wasn't that simple. I couldn't just take her, much as I wanted to." Taking the bottle of rum from Gibbs, he downed the last few mouthfuls and shoved the empty bottle back at Gibbs. "It's bloody empty."

"I'll go get some more then eh?" Gibbs laughed, grinning wickedly.

"Aye, you do that," Jack agreed. He watched the older man stagger to his feet and off towards the hatch, lurching form side to side with the movement of the ship. "Things are never that simple, mate," he murmured quietly. Fifteen years after the day he watched her leave, he still couldn't understand how a slip of a girl had managed to steal his heart so easily. He'd followed his old Captain's advice, and sure enough, Jack had never been short of female company. But none of them, whore or not, had ever owned him like Ashanae had. He saw Gibbs staggering back towards him, a bottle of rum in each hand, and smiled to himself.

"Ere ye go Cap'n," Gibbs slurred, thrusting the full bottle at Jack. 

"Thanks." Expertly uncorking the bottle one-handed, he took a long swig and sighed happily. Yes, this was definitely where he belonged; at the helm of his beloved ship, drinking rum and enjoying his restored freedom. If only she were here to share it with him...

  
  


"So, ye were gonna explain why ye couldn't take her with ye?" Gibbs said bluntly, taking several long pulls from his own bottle.

"Yes, I was, wasn't I?"

"Aye, ye were."

"Well, she was engaged to bloody Norrington for one thing. Seriously need to find the bloke a girl, so he'll stop trying t' steal someone else's," Jack laughed, thinking briefly of the whelp and his strumpet._ "Funny,"_ he thought suddenly. _"It took him seven years to make Captain, and another eight to make Commodore. What title will he hold ten years from now, I wonder?"_

"Nah, let the bugger rot!"

"That's not exactly fair, now is it, Gibbs? Poor bloke just needs t' find the right girl."

"Yeah, sure." Gibbs didn't sound convinced at all. "So what else stopped ye?"

"Well, I was only First Mate back then. Not Captain, like I am now. An this was before I got the Pearl, back when I wasn't exactly well off."

"So?" The expression on his face told Jack that Gibbs didn't understand what he was driving at.

"So, her Uncle's ward or not, she was still a high born lady. She had her own fortune; not a particularly large one, but money nonetheless."

"Ah! So ye sayin she wanted fine dresses and the like?" Gibbs guessed, taking another swig of rum.

"Pretty much, yeah." 

"Did she ever ask ye for such things?" the older man asked suddenly, displaying a shrewd insight Jack hadn't believed he possessed.

"Well..." Jack paused, the slender bottle halfway to his lips. Finally he shook his head. "No, she didn't. During the five days we worked to repair the Explorer, she worked right alongside the rest of the crew. Never once complained bout it, neither. She earned a lot of respect doing that, while her prissy little cousin sat in _my_ cabin and refused to lift a finger to help."

  


"So, what happened then Cap'n? Did she die or somethin? Cos the prig wasn't married when we sailed t' Port Royal seven year ago," Gibbs observed shrewdly.

"No, she isn't dead, at least not as far as I know," he denied, his tone uncertain. _"She could be dead, by now. She wasn't exactly in the best of trades, last time ye saw her, was she?" _A quiet voice asked in his mind. _"No, I'd know if she was dead,"_ he answered it firmly. _"Ah, but would you?"_ the voice persisted. _"Yes, I bloody would. Now shut up!"_ he demanded. He suddenly remember the conversation he'd had with Ash, about talking to yourself being the first sign of madness. _"Guess I shoulda told her the second sign was hearin someone answer, eh?"_ he asked the quiet voice in his mind, but it remained silent, for the moment.

"Cap'n?" Gibbs queried after a few minutes of silence.

"What? Oh, yes. No, she didn't die Gibbs. She did something far worse..." His voice trailed off for a moment as he once again lost himself in his memories.

"Like what?"

"She followed me… to Tortuga..."

  
*************  
_Jack: Oi! No cliff hangers allowed darlin! Unless of course their name is Barbossa and they happen t' have a rather sturdy rope around their neck!_

_Me: Jack! That's not very nice!_

_OK, please review. I'm always in desperate need of feedback :-)  
_


	7. Tortuga

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, they appear to own me LOL _

_**Author's Notes:** This chapter is written as a _***Flashback***

_Jack: Ye really should be workin ye know!_

_Me: Yeah, but the boss isn't in today, and I have nothing to do, so I'll do this instead_

_Norrington: Tsk, Tsk!_

_Me: Besides, you shouldn't moan Jack, or I might not let ye get the girl after all..._

_Jack: but... but..._

_Norrington: Ha! Silent as the grave, Mr Sparrow, remember?_

_Me: Norrington, shut up! Jack, stop bothering me so I can let you get your girl mate!_

_Jack: Alright, just get on with it!_

_BTW, **Isla Del Espíritu Telaraña** means (roughly) _**"Island of the Spirit Web"**_ The name will become relevant later ;-)_

************************

**#7 – Tortuga**

A tint of red coloured the moon, as the Jack watched the lights of Port William fade into the distance behind them. The weight in his chest had not lifted as they sailed from their delivery site. The final repairs, which needed to be done in Port, had been completed quickly and they had set sail immediately; none of them wanted to remain and be hung for piracy. A fair wind favoured them as they journeyed back towards the small island they had been moored at during the storm. As with many of the uninhabited isles in the area, Isla Del Espíritu Telaraña, had been born from volcanic activity. While some of the island had flourished with plant life, the rocky cone of the dormant volcano at the centre remained barren. The land around the base of the volcano was riddled with caves, and Wolf's crew used several to store their horde. Once the ransom gold was added to the ever growing horde, they were to restock their diminished supplies in Tortuga and head out once more. 

"I'm sorry lass," Jack whispered to the night. A single tear slid slowly down his cheek and he wiped it away, before anyone else could see it. "Ye be well, darlin. Don't forget bout us."

  
**************

Standing in the shadows on the dockside, Ash looked up at the blood moon and shivered. She'd watched the Explorer sail away, taking Jack from her and leaving her stranded in a world in which she no longer belonged. Now, hidden from curious eyes, she simply waited. The dress she wore, while fashioned from rich fabric and with intricate designs, was made for appearance, not warmth. The shirt, trousers and jacket Jack had given her were hidden carefully in her room, stowed away from her Uncle who wanted them destroyed. With a gentle sigh, she stepped back out into the pale moon light and walked slowly back towards her Uncle's mansion. A plan would have to wait until later; for now she had to play the role of dutiful fiancée, to a man she already despised. A slight shudder ran through her as she realised that, if she wanted to escape, she only had five days to do so. Otherwise, she would be tied into a loveless marriage until the day death claimed her.

"Will you wait for me Jack?" she asked the darkness. Squaring her shoulders, she entered her Uncle's mansion and played her part to perfection, while thinking of ways to disappear for good.

  
  


The night before Ashanae's wedding, the weather became unusually still. If she was going to leave, she knew, it would have to be tonight... and it seemed whatever Gods were listening apparently agreed. The wind, which had howled through the town for several days, died suddenly in the late afternoon and a thick fog rolled in off the sea around sunset. Clouds built over head, obscuring the stars and moon completely, making the night darker than normal. It was the cover she needed to make her escape; if she could get out of the house, she would be on a ship and out to sea by the time anyone realised she was missing. Dressed in the pirate garb Jack had given her, and with the addition of boots and a hat which she had acquired when she bartered passage to Tortuga, she stuffed a few things into a canvas bag and went to leave. It was only then she discovered that getting out of the mansion was going to prove more difficult than she had anticipated.

  
Her door had been locked, from the outside.

  
"Damn you, Uncle!" she muttered angrily. She looked around the room, trying to think of another escape route, and her eyes fell on the large double window. Her room was on the second floor of the house, but a drop of over sixteen feet stood between her and freedom. She carefully opened the windows, mindful that the other members of the household were still on the floor below. As quietly as she could, she climber over the railing of her balcony and reached out towards the heavy trellis frame just below her window. Climbing slowly, to minimise the noise, she reached the bottom and turned towards the gate, coming face-to-face with her cousin Annar.

***********

James Wolf stood in his customary place at the helm, watching his First Mate with mild concern. Ever since they had sailed from Port William five days before, Jack Sparrow had been acting strangely. He seemed listless all the time, and had taken to drinking more heavily than normal. He barely spoke to anyone, even his Captain, and Wolf was growing more worried about him with each day. Today, however, he seemed even more withdrawn than usual.

"Jack?" he called softly, trying to attract the lad's attention.

"Yes, Cap'n?" Jack replied, after several minutes.

"Come here mate."

"Sir?" the younger man queried, as he stopped just to one side of his Captain.

"What be bothering ye, Jack?"

"Nothin Cap'n. I be fine," Jack lied, his voice hollow. 

"Ye be thinkin about Miss Reibia?" Wolf guessed shrewdly. Jack didn't reply, and the silence between them stretched out as Wolf looked intently at his First Mate. Dark circles had appeared beneath the man's eyes and there were noticeable hollows around his cheekbones. His clothing appeared looser than it normally did, and Wolf suddenly realised that Jack had eaten very little during their evening meals together.

"She be lost to me James," the young man said suddenly, surprising Wolf by addressing him by his first name.

"Why?"

"She married that prig today. She's not Miss Reibia no more, she be Mrs Norrington now," Jack explained, raising his head to meet his Captain's gaze.

"Aye, I spose she is. Look, I know it ain't gonna help much, but we'll be back in Tortuga in a few days. How about ye go see Scarlet?" Wolf suggested kindly. He knew from experience that sometimes, the only cure for a broken heart lay in the embrace of a whore.

"Maybe," was the only response Jack would make. With a sad sigh, the young man walked off towards the bow, leaving his friend more concerned than before.

  
  


Three days later, the Intrepid Explorer docked in Tortuga, and the crew quickly lost themselves in some of the many taverns and bordellos which filled the town. Jack remained aboard, wanting time alone and Wolf returned after several hours… carrying some interesting news.

"Jack!" Wolf shouted, as he climbed back aboard his ship.

"Sir?" 

"Stop ye sulkin and get over ere!" He tried to keep his face straight as he watched the younger man race towards him, the look of curiosity on Jack's face cheering him greatly.

"What be wrong Cap'n?" Jack demanded, slightly out of breath.

"Nothin be wrong lad! I just thought ye'd like t' know that a certain young lady has gone missing... the day she was supposed to get married..." Wolf kept his tone casual, but couldn't hide his smug grin as he watched comprehension dawn on Jack's face.

"She didn't marry him? What do ye mean, missing? Where'd she go?" The questions tumbled out of his mouth as his excitement grew. She had run away, he knew suddenly, but where had she gone?

"No, she didn't marry him. Missing, as in no-one knows where t' find her. The barman at Marcel's said he'd heard the Navy are looking for the Island Breeze, the only ship which sailed from Port William the night Ashanae went missing..." Wolf's voice trailed off as his eyes widened in horror.

"Cap'n, what is it? Please, tell me!" Jack pleaded.

"Jack, we'd better get ashore," James said abruptly, getting to his feet.

"Please James, tell me what's wrong!"

"Jack," Wolf began, placing his hands on Jack shoulders gently. "If she was aboard that ship, she could be in danger."

"Why?"

"Because the Island Breeze is over there!" Wolf replied, pointing to a ship moored at the next wharf.

  
**********

Keeping to the shadows, Ashanae moved slowly through the labyrinth of alleyways in Tortuga, looking for somewhere relatively safe to spend the night. The Island Breeze had been at the dock in Port William when she arrived, ready to make sail as promised. She still couldn't quite believe she had managed to get there at all, due to the unexpected appearance of her cousin outside the house...  


  


_She stood very still, poised to fight if she had to. The look on Annar's face was one of stunned surprise, as she recognised her cousin. Her eyes widened in comprehension, as she saw what Ash was wearing. _

_"You're running away?" the younger girl exclaimed._

_"Yes, I am. I'm not staying here to be married off to some uptight stranger!" Ash hissed, her voice low._

_"You can't leave!" Annar stated, her voice rising slightly. Before she knew what she was doing, Ash clamped her hand over her cousin's mouth._

_"Listen to me, very carefully Annar," she whispered softly into the younger woamn's ear. "I will not allow your father to sell me off like a servant! I will have my freedom, even if it means I have to kill you to get it!" Releasing the girl, Ash took a step back and watched her intently for a moment._

_"You love him, don't you?" Annar whispered suddenly, a strange smile on her face._

_"Who?"_

_"That pirate, Jack Sparrow." Her smile grew as she saw the look in her older cousin's eyes._

_"No!" Ash denied vehemently._

_"Yes, you do. Go, dearest. Be with the man you love. I'll delay them in the morning as long as I can. That should give you enough time to get far away from here."_

_"You're not going to raise the alarm?" Confused, Ashanae didn't move._

_"No, now go! I just hope I find someone to love, like you love that pirate!" Grabbing her cousin's arm, Annar pushed Ash into the shadows and returned to the house. Hidden by the fog, Ashanae Reibia left civilised society and went in search of her freedom._

  
She paused, shaking her head to disperse the memories. There would be time enough later for trying to figure out why Annar had helped her, now she had to get off the streets and find somewhere to sleep. She was pulled from her musing as the torchlight from the street ahead was suddenly blotted out, and she looked up to see a heavy set man standing at the entrance to the lane, blocking her path.

  
  


Ash froze as the large man advanced down the alley towards her, a long knife held casually in his right hand. She backed away, fighting to suppress her fear; she needed to think clearly if she was going to escape unharmed. Suddenly her back came into contact with something; solid and unmoving, yet oddly warm. It took her a moment to realise it wasn't a wall that was stopping her, and she spun round. She gasped in horror as she came face-to-face with another drunken pirate. Before she had time to duck, his fist connected with her jaw and she flew backwards several feet, stopped only by the armed man behind her. A sudden, sharp pain sliced thorough her skull for a moment, then the blessed oblivion rose up to claim her, and she felt nothing more.

*********  
_Jack: OK, what did I say about cliff hangers mate?_

_Me: Jack, if you want your girl..._

_Jack: Yeah, I know luv. Silent as the grave, right?_

_Me: right!_

_  
Well, that was probably the most productive day I've ever had at work. 1 ½ hours working, and 6 writing LOL_

_Please review. If you like it, please review and tell me what you like; if not, review anyway and tell me what you don't like :-) Oh yeah, and it's time to start my studies, so I may not update for a bit :-(_  



	8. Parley

_**Disclaimer:** Do I really need to keep writing one of these? LOL _

_**Author's Notes:** This chapter is written as a _***Flashback* **

_OK, I know I said I was not going to update for a bit, but I can't get this story out of my head. But first I just want to say... Woo-Hoo! 20 reviews! Most I've ever had on one story LOL_

_Mistress of Destruction – yes, I do want reviews. They encourage me to keep going. **Thank you** very much for your reviews, and I am **really** sorry about the last cliff hanger. I promise, this chapter will stop at a good place. Yes, Jack's character is a little different, but the rouge we know will emerge soon, I promise :-)_

_Thank you to my other reviewers too, it all helps the muses swing their hammers at my head to keep me going LOL Oh yeah, this is going to be a short one. Sorry._

_**Jack: **Oi, Norrington, I think she's losing it mate!  
**Norrington:** What do you mean, *losing* it? I thought she had already lost it!  
**Me:** Do you two mind?  
**Jack & Norrington: **Not really, no  
**Me:** Look, if you two don't be quiet, I'll kill off Ash so Jack doesn't get his girl... and I won't write the sequel to this story either, and you know what that means, right Norrington?  
**Norrington:** Indeed!  
**Jack:** Just write already, will ye?_

************************

**#8 – Parley**

Jack Sparrow, First Mate of the Intrepid Explorer, was feeling something he had never felt before, and it was threatening to overwhelm him. He was terrified. As he hurried through the streets of Tortuga, keeping close to his Captain, all he could think about was how stupid Ash had been. And how scared he was for her safety. _"What the bloody hell was she thinkin?"_ he thought savagely. Didn't she know how dangerous a place like Tortuga was, especially for a woman? No, of course she didn't. She was a lady, kept sheltered from places such as this. That fact didn't ease his fear though, nor lessen his anger. He was pulled from his thoughts as the man beside him stopped abruptly, his attention fixed on something Jack couldn't see. Following his Captain's gaze into the dimly lit alley beside them, his breath caught in his throat at the sight which greeted him. Matthew Anson, the Explorer's stocky cook, was knelt beside a small body; Scarlet, and another man Jack didn't recognise, stood beside him. The body appeared to be that of a young boy, certainly the clothing it wore was male. Only the bright red sash around the waist told Jack who it was, laying in the mud.

Ashanae.

"Stay here," Wolf ordered, his tone brooking no argument. Jack could only look on in horror as the older man entered the alley and knelt beside Matthew. Each second felt like a lifetime as he waited, powerless to change the events which fate had set in motion. _Was she injured, but alive? Who had done this to her? And when? What had her attacker done to her? Was she dead? Had they raped and tortured her? Had she died, alone and in pain, screaming for someone to help her?_ The questions raced through his mind as he waited, each more painful than the last. Forcing back his tears, he looked again at the still form, laying crumpled and broken in the semi-darkness, beside his Captain. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but the look on wolf's face, as he turned to look at Jack, made the younger man's heart sink. 

She was dead. 

Head bowed with grief, Jack didn't see Wolf approach him, carrying Ashanae's limp form; nor did he hear his friend say his name. It was only when the Captain repeated himself that Jack heard him and looked up. Wolf's expression was grave as he handed her body to the young pirate.

"Come on, we have t' get her back t' the ship." He looked down at his First Mate, seeing the grief on his face, and reached out to squeeze the younger man's shoulder gently. "She's alive, Jack. Barely. We have t' get her back t' the ship, if we want to give her any chance to survive."

"She's not dead?" Jack breathed, looking down at the badly beaten, blood covered young woman in his arms.

"No, she's alive. But if we don't get her back t' the ship, now, she won't stay that way for long!"

"Aye Cap'n!" Cradling Ash in his arms, Jack hurried back to the ship with Wolf and Anson; praying to any Gods who might have been listening... _let her live_.

  
  


Stifling a yawn, Jack Sparrow stretched carefully, trying not to disturb the young woman sleeping beside him. For three days and nights, he had stayed by her side and refused to sleep; fearful that if he left her, even for a moment, the Reaper would steal her away in his absence. By the fourth day, Wolf had had to have him forcibly removed and _persuaded _to rest; he'd stressed to Matthew not to hurt the lad when he knocked him out. Wolf had then watched over the girl, during Jack's absence. He had even hidden his amusement at his First Mate's blatant insubordination when, upon his return, the lad had verbally torn strips off his captain for such an underhand manoeuvre. An apology to the older man had followed a few hours later, when Jack realised the necessity of his friend's actions. Two days later, she had regained consciousness for a few moments, long enough to whisper the word **_"Parley"_** before slipping into a natural sleep. Jack had spent the entire night pondering what the repercussions of that single word might prove to be. A knock on the door made him sit up, and he moved slowly off the bed to answer it.

"Is she awake yet?" Wolf asked, looming in the doorway.

"No, but her breathin be more steady t'day. I think she's gonna be ok." A smile pulled at his lips as he spoke, and his friend smiled in return.

"Are you two going to stand there muttering all day?" A disgruntled voice behind them asked. Both men looked over at the bed and saw Ash looking at them. Her face was still swollen and bruised, but her eyes were clear and alert.

"Begging yer pardon miss," Wolf replied, bowing slightly before stepping into the room. The look she shot him clearly said she didn't believe he was sincere in his apology, but she said nothing about it.

"So ye are awake then, minx?" Jack laughed, coming to sit beside her.

"Aye, I am. And I'm glad you are both here. I'm sure Jack has told you what I said last night, Captain?"

"Aye, he has."

"Good."

"So tell me, what is it that ye want?" The Captain was not one for small talk; at least not where parley was concerned.

"I want to request asylum," she stated. Seeing the vaguely confused looks on the faces of both men, she simplified her request. "I want to stay here, on the Explorer. I am requesting to join your crew, Captain."

"Really?" He did nothing to hide the amusement in his voice, but hid his surprise from both of them completely.

"Yes!" she confirmed emphatically. 

"Well, we'll have to wait and see..." he replied, a secretive smile on his lips...

  
*******  
_Before anyone starts shouting, this is not really a cliff hanger, as such. Ash is safe, she's with Jack and has made her request. You can all probably guess what the answer will be, but tune in next time to find out *wicked grin*_

_Just a thought for everyone, as I disappear into my study books... the reason I wrote Norrington in this early is this... on the dockside, Jack says "Commodore Norrington, my effects please." But I couldn't recall anyone saying his name. So I watched it again; Elizabeth only calls him Commodore, and no-one else refers to him by his name. So, if they'd never met before, how did Jack know his name was Norrington???_

_**Jack:** Cos I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!  
**Me:** *sigh* Whatever!_  


  



	9. For Freedom

_Dis**claimer:** Do not now, nor have I ever owned them. Thinking maybe I don't own my sanity anymore either? LOL _

_**Author's Notes:** Yup, you guessed it. Another _***Flashback***_ chapter LOL_

_As always, I am eternally grateful to my reviewers. Without you (plus PG Tips tea, maltesers and Mayfair cigarettes LOL) I would probably have given up around chapter 6 (ish) and stopped writing. I'm so glad I got talked around though, because this is becoming quite fun :-) Also wanted to say thanks to **brokeassproduc** for pointing out the mistake in chapter 7. **Otherhawk**: nah, you win that title hands down. You already have 20 chapters of one story up, and more to come :-)_

_**Jack:** Yer sound like yer accepting an Oscar or something!  
**Norrington**: You wait, she'll be crying with joy in a minute  
**Me:** If you two don't be quiet, you'll be the ones with tears in your eyes... after I remove certain bodily parts!  
**Jack**: Hey, play nice!  
**Me:** I will when you two do..._

_Anyway, my deepest apologies if anyone gets confused by this chapter, as it switches between three "scenes" which all take place at roughly the same time. The Halcon/Norrington bit is just clarification of how the Governor sees his niece. Oh and the young lad mentioned is a very young Lt. Gillette :-)_

_**Jack:** Gillette? Isn't that a razor?  
**Me:** Jack... shush!  
**Jack:** Explain how I *get* me girl, in graphic detail, and I'll be quiet  
**Me: ***sigh* the words "mind" and "gutter" just suddenly popped into my head then  
**Norrington:** I wonder why?  
**Me:** Norrington, stop being sarcastic. Jack, **NO** graphic details, savvy?  
**Norrington:** Ha! She means it. She underlined it and everything!  
**Me:** OK, on with the story *ignores Jack as he starts singing "Gillette, the best a man can get" totally off key*_

************************

**#9 – For Freedom**

Captain James Wolf was at a loss for words, which was quite an event for a man who usually had a great deal to say on most subjects. Several hours had passed since young Ashanae had made her request, but he still had not given her an answer. At first, he had simply told her he needed to carefully consider her request, and its implications. Having thought about it, he realised that the situation was far more complicated than she, or Jack, understood. Just because the Captain had no problem with her being aboard, didn't mean his crew felt the same. He had seen, first hand, how a serious disagreement between crew and Captain could end. Either the crew abandoned ship, or they mutinied and took the ship for their own. That was a situation Wolf was not going to risk being in. 

"Even if they agree, she'd still have t' prove her worth," he said, speaking quietly to the darkness of his stateroom. He knew there was more than that simple task which worried him. If she was allowed onboard, and proved her worth, they still had the problem of the Governor Halcon, and the Royal Navy. By sunrise the day after the discovery of Ash's body, the crew had returned and they set sail with extreme haste. The crew had all returned with stories; some had the captain of the Island Breeze kidnapping Ash, while others said that she had never made it to the ship, but been killed on her way to the docks. The Captain and First Mate had tried to explain the situation, but they refused to believe it; it wasn't until several of them had been allowed to see her, that they finally believed the truth. They knew she was alive, but were all blissfully ignorant of the danger they were in. 

  
  


Whether he granted her request or not, her Uncle was still going to be looking for her. He had seen the greed in the Governor's eyes when the exchange had been made; Halcon saw his niece as nothing more than property he could sell, and he'd want to make sure he recovered his _goods_. There were only two options that Wolf could see which would grant the girl her freedom; death or marriage. Either her family must be led to believe she was dead, or she would have to marry someone to void the previous engagement she had been sold into. It would be a difficult decision for her to make and, if she chose to 'die' it would be an even greater task to fake her death. Firstly though, he had to have the agreement of his crew to allow her to stay with them. With a deep sigh, Wolf got to his feet and went to speak to his crew.

  


*********

  


Governor Thomas Halcon angrily paced the length of dining room, his fury growing with every second that Lieutenant Norrington kept him waiting. His meeting with Captain Petersen had gone very well; the naval officer was dispatching two ships on the dawn tide to look for Ashanae. Before they left however, the Governor wanted to give his own instructions to the young Lieutenant he had arranged to marry his niece. A knock at the door pulled him from his scheming, and he appeared composed as his butler escorted James Norrington into his study.

"Ah, Lieutenant, I'm glad you're here. I wanted to speak with you before you set sail."

"Of course, Governor," Norrington said, stopping a few feet from the older man.

"I want you to make sure you find my niece, at all costs. Even if she has met with a _tragic_ end, I want you to bring her back," Halcon stressed.

"Of course. I will do everything in my power to return your beloved niece to you."

"You'd better. She is more _valuable_ than you can possibly imagine. If you are successful in your task, it is within my power to expedite your _advancement_. Do you understand?"

"I return your precious niece, you get me promoted?" James asked, careful to keep his tone neutral.

"Precious? Ha! But yes, you get her back here, alive or dead, and I'll get you the rank of Captain." The disgust in his voice was clear as he spoke of the missing girl.

"There is always the chance we won't find her alive..."

"I don't care if she's dead, Lieutenant. Her fortune is greater than even she knows. If she dies, it all goes to me, her legal guardian, and I will make sure you are _compensated_ accordingly. But she lives, she must be returned here and married within the next three months. If not, it... I mean _she_, will be lost to us forever."

"Why did you choose me to marry your niece, Governor?" James asked suddenly, his feeling of unease growing by the second.

"Because you don't have any money! My sister's husband was a well respected, and very rich, man. His only daughter would require a large dowry for her marriage. As you don't have any money, it would have been taken from her fortune and paid to her guardian," Halcon explained, his patience beginning to wear thin. "I didn't go the trouble and expense of arranging an _unfortunate accident_ to befall her parents, just to be foiled by a stupid, spiteful girl who refuses to do as she is told!"

"The death of her parents wasn't an accident?" Norrington's blood froze in his veins as he stared in disbelief at the man before him.

"No, it wasn't. But don't think you can repeat that information _Lieutenant_, because I will deny it absolutely. And, as I am a well respected Governor, and you are a _lowly_ sailor, who do you think the authorities will believe?" Halcon asked, his tone menacing.

"Indeed. If that is all, _Governor_, I will take my leave. There are many preparations to make before we set sail at dawn." Without waiting for a reply, James Norrington bowed to the older man and strode from the room. Waving hello to the young son of the HMS Valiant's First Mate on his way, he headed towards the docks and considered his options. If he did as he'd been asked, and the girl was alive, a murderer would have half the fortune of his victims, and James would have a wife who hated him. If he disobeyed and spoke to his superiors, he risked court-martial for making false claims when the Governor denied all knowledge of, and involvement in, murder. 

"If three months pass before we find her, his plans will be ruined," he murmured to himself, as a sudden thought occurred to him. "It would be a terrible _shame_ if it took that long, wouldn't it?" he laughed quietly. With a smug half-smile playing on his lips, James Norrington boarded the HMS Valiant and made ready for a _long_ voyage...

  


*********

  


Jack Sparrow stood at the bow of the Intrepid Explorer, and stared out to sea, lost in thought. The crew had agreed to allow Ashanae to join the crew, as long as she proved her worth, and disproved their superstitions. It had been unanimously agreed, however, that if the fortunes of the crew took a turn for the worse, Ash would have to leave. Her agreement to this stipulation had surprised Jack, but he had wisely remained silent on the matter. So the crew knew exactly what they were agreeing to, Wolf had told them of the two choices open to the girl, and asked for any other suggestions to resolve the situation. No-one, including himself, had been able to think of another avenue of escape; she would have to chose to either die or marry. Every man on board, except Jack and Captain Wolf, had offered to be the lucky _husband_ if she chose that route; the looks they'd cast her had made Jack's blood boil. It was only the gentle pressure of her hand on his that had stopped him from doing something stupid. 

"So, what do you think of all this, Jack?" Ashanae's softly spoken question pulled Jack from his musing, and he turned to face her. A timid smile on his lips, he looked at her for a long moment, carefully considering his reply. 

"It be yer choice. I can't make it for ye," he told her. "But, if ye choose marriage over death, I'd be a good husband. I'd always treat ye right an ye'd not want for nothin." The declaration was out of his mouth before he could think what he was saying. A feeling of anxiety gnawed at him as he waited for her to reply; should he have said what he had, or remained silent and waited for her to suggest the pairing?

"I know you would, Jack. If that is the path I choose, I would have chosen you above all others," she admitted. A small sigh escaped her lips as Jack waited for her to continue; he sensed there was more she wanted to say, but was unable to say it.

"Why did ye do this? Why did ye run?" he asked suddenly, realising she hadn't given a reason for her impetuous behaviour.

"For freedom," she answered simply. Smiling sadly at the young man beside her, she continued. "The thing is, the choice I have to make is not one I relish. If I pretend to be dead, my fortune goes to my legal guardian. I can't let that happen. I cannot prove it, but I believe he had a hand in the death of my parents. Yet, on the other hand, I ran away because I did not want to be forced into a marriage not of my choosing. It is an impossible choice, but one I have to make nonetheless."

"Whatever ye choose, I'll be with ye," he assured her, drawing her into his arms. He smiled to himself as she nestled her head against his shoulder. Neither spoke as the gentle breeze caressed their skin, and the spray of the sea fell lightly upon them. Jack knew the woman in his arms would tell him once she had made her choice, and he would support that decision completely, as he had promised... 

  
******************

_So, can anyone guess what Ash's choice will be? Tune in next time to find out. Oh yeah, and please, please, please review :-) Look, 24 reviews! Woo-Hoo!!!!!! Well, guess I'd better get back to my studying LOL_  



	10. More Questions Than Answers

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Still own nothing, not even my sanity _

_**Author's Notes:** OK, this one is _***Present***_ time. There will be more mention of Norrington's actions in the next chapter. _

_**Norrington:** It's about time!  
**Me:** Indeed!  
**Norrington:** Hey, that's my line, not yours  
**Jack:** Yeah, yer supposed t' sound like me, not bloody Norrington!  
**Me:** Whatever!_

_Anyway, as I was trying to say, before I was rudely interrupted, Norrington will appear next chapter. And yes, **brokeassproduc** and **sierra**, I will be exploring what happens to Governor Halcon in a chapter coming very soon. Let's just say, his 'desperation' to get Ash back has to do with more than just money..._

_**Jack:** Yeah, it also has to do with... *muffled sounds as hand is clamped over Jack's mouth*  
**Me:** Jack! Stop trying to give away plot points!  
**Norrington:** Ah, that what I like to see. Jack Sparrow forced into silence.   
**Me:** Both of you be quiet! Otherwise, I will very shortly make it so that you'll both be singing soprano for the rest of your lives!_

_Thank you once again to all the lovely people who have reviewed. 27 reviews! Yay! This chapter is a bit of a milestone for me, I've never got to 10 chapters before, nor topped 20,000 words LOL Also, **Otherhawk**... you were right. Taking a little time out to write does help. My studying has been going better now I've figured out I need to take an hour or so break every night :-) Anyway, as they say in the theatre...on with the show... or in this case, the story :-) _

************************

**#10 – More Questions Than Answers**

The crescent moon had begun its slow descent back towards the horizon, the pale light it cast across the ocean fading slowly. The stars shone brightly overhead, their brilliance seeming to increase as the moon's light dimmed. One, low on the horizon, shone more brightly than the rest. Jack used it to navigate by; if he kept it in line with the bow of his ship, he always ended up in Tortuga. No matter where in the world he was, if he followed that star, it always led him home. Standing at the helm of his beloved Black Pearl, his hands resting lightly on the smooth wood of the ship's wheel, Captain Jack Sparrow frowned slightly in momentary annoyance. The flicker of emotion across his face was not missed by the Pearl's First Mate, Joshamee Gibbs. The older man watched his captain for a few moments, before he too frowned and turned to look at the horizon. The wind had developed a slight chill as they had been talking, and the air around them had begun to feel distinctly heavy. Dark clouds could be seen building in the distance, a sure sign of trouble ahead.

"There's a storm comin," Jack murmured quietly, confirming his friend's suspicions. 

"Aye, that there be," Gibbs agreed. 

"It might miss us, if we're lucky."

"Aye, if Lady luck be on our side, we'll be in Tortuga afore it hits," the older man confirmed. Turning his eyes from the horizon, he fixed his bleary gaze on Jack. "So, anyways, ye were sayin...?"

"Oh, yes. Wolf allowed her to remain on board, and the crew agreed to let her stay. If she proved her worth, of course." The younger pirate chuckled, remembering the complicated, and often cruel, trials the girl had been put through by the crew. 

"An did she?" Gibbs wasn't sure he entirely believed his friend, but he wanted to hear the rest of the story nonetheless.

"Aye, she did."

"What did they make her do?" There was a note of sympathy in his voice that made Jack look at him curiously. Gibbs had often expressed the belief that women on ships brought bad luck, yet he seemed to have a strange compassion for Ashanae; it was as if he knew how cruel others who held the same belief could be, and didn't really approve of it. 

"Everythin. Haul lines, climb the shrouds, mend sails, the lot. Captain Wolf and I taught her to fight, both with a sword and unarmed. She was a bloody quick study, mind you. She used to practice with the crew, to hone her skills as it were. Poor lass was covered in bruises for the first few weeks, til she learned to duck faster," he explained, his tone carrying a mild amount of distaste at those last words.

"They'd hit her? I mean, really hit her, like ye'd hit an enemy in a real fight?" Gibbs exclaimed, horrified. Although he knew men who would, Joshamee had never hit a woman in his life, and would never do so.

"Aye, they did. After about five weeks though, she could put any man aboard flat on his back every time. Once she learned to fight dirty if she had to, in order to win, every one of them apologised." A brief look of pride flickered across Jack's face, but was gone so quickly that anyone else, except Gibbs, would have believed they'd imagined it.

"Ah. So by takin their punches, an learnin from em, she earned their respect then, eh?"

"Exactly. She became one of the most dangerous people I know. Not only could she fight in any way which allowed her t' win, but she often used her gender as a way of gettin the upper hand. There was many a time when we lost the fight, but won the battle, cause of her _"helpless maiden" _ploy," he laughed, recalling the gleam in her eyes after one such incident.

"How'd ye mean?"

"She'd pretend t' be a _poor, defenceless woman, held captive by uncouth ruffians_," he mimicked Ash's voice and accent with amazing accuracy. "Usually, the Captain 'rescued' her from us, only to later discover his mistake. He'd be left in his cabin, bound and gagged; while she strolled into the hold, let us out of our cells and we'd take the ship without too much of a struggle. She only ever killed one of them, after she discovered he wasn't as much of a gentleman as he'd appeared. After what that bastard did, I would have killed him if she hadn't..." His voice trailed off as Jack vividly recalled the injuries she had returned with that day. It had taken several days to get her to tell him what had happened; when she had, his fury at the dead man had frightened her greatly. It was the only time he had ever seen fear in her eyes when she looked at him, and he had sworn it would never happen again. For nearly a week afterwards, she had avoided being alone with him, and it had taken a lot more time for her trust in him to be restored.

"So, ye said she had t' make a choice. Pretend to be dead, or marry. Did ye marry her?" Gibbs asked, cleverly changing the subject away from such painful memories. It was a well known fact that Captain Jack Sparrow, although apparently a madman, seemed to go out of his way to avoid killing people. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he would much rather incapacitate his enemy, or render them unconscious. So to hear the younger man admit to wanting to deliberately kill a man was something of a shock for Gibbs. It made him realise that Jack's tolerance only stretched so far; whatever the dead man had done to Ashanae, it must have been very bad indeed. The hatred hidden in those dark eyes gave him an idea of what must have happened, and Gibbs found himself agreeing with his Captain. If the dead man had done what he suspected, then he had deserved to die.

  
  


Jack looked at his First Mate with mild surprise; he had not considered the older man in possession of such keen insight, nor such compassionate understanding. The hard look on Gibbs' face, and the angry set of his mouth, told Jack that his friend had some idea of what had happened. He did not need to know the details; those would remain a secret between him and Ashanae forever. This rare night of complete honesty, without pretence or show, was teaching both men things about the other they had not previously known. He watched his friend silently for a few moments longer, then nodded slowly.

"Aye, I did. We both knew her uncle was going to spare no effort to get her back, though at the time we didn't know why. An we had no idea that Norrington was going to delay the search, allowing her to reach her twenty-first birthday before he found her. If we had waited, it wouldn't have been necessary, but we were ignorant of that small fact, at the time."

"Cap'n Wolf did the honours?"

"Aye. It was a simple ceremony, witnessed only by the crew. I used a little of the ransom we got from her uncle to buy her a ring. It wasn't much, just a simple band, made of three strands of silver woven together. An she gave me this," he said. Holding up his right hand, he showed Gibbs the silver ring which adorned his index finger. "It was her father's, one of the few things she'd been allowed to keep after his death." The same flash of pride appeared on his face for a brief moment, before his mildly insane smile returned to replace it. Lowering his arm, his hand came to rest on the compass tied to his belt.

"So Norrington caught up with ye then?"

"He did, not long after Ash's birthday. We were already married by then," Jack confirmed. "Course, by this time, she was ready to defend her freedom, at any cost..."

  
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_It's not a cliff hanger. Really. Honest._

_**Jack:** Don't think they believe ye darlin  
**Me:** Sure they do._

_As always, please review :-)_  



	11. Will Justice Be Done?

**_Disclaimer_**_: Still own nothing, not even my sanity _

_**Author's Notes**: Oh yeah, it's another Flashback chapter. _

_**Jack**: Now there's a surprise!  
**Norrington**: Mr Sparrow, stop being sarcastic. You got your girl, didn't you?  
**Jack**: Aye, I got me girl, and ye didn't!  
**Me**: Don't gloat Jack. Ye remember what happens next, don't ye?  
**Jack**: Aye, I do at that. Still, ye haven't explained how I got the Pearl yet, nor how I gets off the Island.  
**Norrington**: And you still have to write the sequel  
**Me**: Not sure about that mate...  
**Norrington**: You promised!  
**Me**: OK, OK, let me finish this one first, will ye? _

_Damn, I'm sounding more like Jack every day! LOL Seriously have to get this finished, so I can get back to a normal life LOL_

_**Jack**: A normal life? Ye don't have a life, normal or otherwise  
**Norrington**: Indeed. She wouldn't be writing this if she did!  
**Me**: sigh Stop complaining or I won't finish it at all!  
**Jack & Norrington**: Just write the chapter already!  
**Me**: Alright! _

_Sorry for the long time it took to post this chapter, my studies kept getting in the way LOL But as I have finished my course for this year, I have some time to spend on writing again :) Apologies for the "getting close" bit here at the beginning, just thought the "marriage" needed a bit of clarification ;-) There is an NC-17 version of this chapter, which will be posted at my fanfic archive shortly (URL is in my profile) Oh yeah, 34 reviews! Woo-hoo!_

_Note 2: because of the stupid edit function that has introduced, which seems to be stripping all the coding from my story, including the tags it's supposed to allow, i have had to mae the first word of each new paragraph bold so readers know where the paragraphs breaks are supposed to be! Sorry about the messy way it displays, feel free to complain to about it.

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**#11 – Will Justice Be Done?**

Dark storm clouds stretched as far as the eye could see, brooding and full of menace. Occasional flashes of lightning arced across the sky, followed by muted rumbles of thunder. Jack Sparrow and his new wife stood at the stern of their ship, watching the storm raging around them. Captain Wolf stood a few feet away at the helm, years of experience telling him they were in no real danger. Yet. He was more wary than normal this time; after the strike last time they were anchored in this bay, he didn't want to take any chances. Jack glanced over at his captain, worried by the dry, hacking cough the older man had developed. The Explorer's First Mate didn't like the thought that his captain, who always seemed to be invulnerable, was just as susceptible to illness as anyone else. It brought home the fact that Wolf wouldn't be around forever; one day he would die like any other person.

"Will history remember him?" Jack murmured to himself.

"Remember who?" Ash asked softly.

"What?" Jack hadn't realised he had spoken aloud.

"You mean James?" His wife looked at him, her expression understanding. "Yes, I think they will remember him."

"I hope so." The couple watched James move away, heading towards his cabin. After a few moments, they were alone on deck.

"Jack..." she began, stopping as he turned towards her. Hands shaking, she slowly began to undo the buttons on her shirt. Without breaking eye contact, Jack placed his hands on hers, his fingers brushing the soft skin of her collarbone.

"You don't have to do this. I knew when I agreed to this that it was a marriage in name only, to save you from having to marry Norrington..." he told her. His heart raced in his chest as she moved closer to him, moving his hand a little lower.

"I know. Thing is, I didn't marry you just to escape my prior engagement, Jack. If that was all I wanted, I would have accepted Wolf's offer to do the same. I..." she stopped, unable to put into words what she wanted to say. She moved his hand lower, brushing her own fingers lightly down his cheek as she moved towards him.

"Don't," he whispered, pulling away slightly.

"You think I'm doing this because I have to? Because a wife is expected to service the needs of her husband?" she snarled, angry at his rejection. Fighting back tears, she went to turn away from him; ashamed by her actions, and having misread his, she had to be anywhere but there. Her breath caught in her throat as his hands wrapped around her arms, and he pushed her back against the aft mast roughly. His lips claimed hers in a passionate, bruising kiss; she could feel him trembling as he pulled her against him, and the floodgates of her pent up passion were opened.

The storm continued to rage throughout the area, but the awesome display of nature went unnoticed as the couple finally consummated their marriage.

**_  
The_** following morning, the storm had passed and the air smelled pure and sweet. Laying in his cabin, Jack looked down at the woman sleeping beside him and smiled. She looked so innocent and peaceful when she slept, the stress of her previous life wiped away. He still worried that she would eventually have to face the demons she had run away from, but he knew he would be at her side when she did. A single curly lock of hair had fallen across her face and he gently brushed it away, feeling her stir slightly beneath his touch. His smile grew as she opened her eyes and looked up at him, the passion in her eyes mirroring his own. Bending his head, his lips claimed hers in a kiss full of remembered passion; her response full of the promise of a repeat performance as intense and loving as the previous night. His hands began a gentle caress, moving down slowly. The young couple jumped when a loud knock sounded at the cabin door, hastily covering up as James Wolf strode into the room.

"While I'm sure I'm not the only one happy that the two of ye have finally sorted yerselves out, we have company," the older man told them. While his face remained blank, his eyes twinkled with the same mischief they usually held when an attack was imminent.

"Let me guess... one of the British naval ships has finally caught up with us?" The determined look in Ash's eyes, and the set of her jaw, told both men this was a day she had been expecting for a while.

"How'd ye guess missy?"

"Well lemme think..." The sarcasm was not lost on the two pirates but both men wisely remained silent.

"Get dressed. We might be able to outrun them, but if we don't..."

"I'll die before I go back!"

"It may yet come to that..." The hard look Wolf shot at Jack quelled the denial on the First Mate's lips. "Get dressed and get up on deck... both of ye!" Without another word, the Captain spun on his heel and left the cabin, leaving the young couple staring after him in surprise.

**_  
The_** sun lay low on the horizon as Jack and Ash emerged from below decks. The sky above was clear and cloudless, the colour of the darkest sapphire. It looked like it was going to be another beautiful day in the Caribbean, but the promise of the day ahead was soured by the smudge on the horizon. Taking the telescope from Wolf, Jack sighted the sails, counting four ships on their trail. The British pennant flying at the stern of each ship told him all he needed to know... they were looking for Ashanae and would not stop until they had recovered her. 

"So we got four heavily armed naval ships, all lookin for us?" Jack's tone carried a certain amount of irony at the situation.

"That's about the sum of it, yeah." Wolf's stance seemed at ease, but Jack knew him well enough to know he was ready for a fight.

"Don't run." The words were softly spoken, and both men turned to look at Ash in surprise.

"What do ye mean, don't run? If they catch us and find ye, they'll take ye back. Is that what ye want?" The First mate could not believe what he was hearing.

"No! But if I'm right, they won't force me to go back when they find out I'm already married."

"Are ye sure bout that?"

"As sure as I can be. Once we married, my uncle lost all power over me. By law, all my possessions and wealth, formally held in trust by my Uncle, are now mine. It was a stipulation in my father's will that I would inherit everything once I turned Twenty-One..." The satisfied tone of her voice, combined with the smug smirk which pulled at her lips, reassured both pirates that she may indeed be telling the truth.

"So, we didn't really have to..." Jack began, unable, or unwilling, to finish the sentence.

"If I had know our dear Captain would keep me safely hidden until after my birthday, there would have been no need to marry, but I didn't know that. Do you regret that we did though?" she asked in a quite voice. The look of uncertainty in her eyes made her look suddenly fragile, and Jack slipped his arms protectively around her waist, pulling her against him slowly.

"I don't regret a thing darlin'. Ye can be sure of that," he drawled quietly in her ear.

"Good," she murmured quietly, before raising her voice and continuing. "So, we wait and let them catch up with us. Once Norrington comes aboard, I'll explain the situation. If he likes, he can take me back to Port William..."

"What?!?" Wolf interrupted, stunned by her words.

"So I can tell my Uncle to go to Hell," she finished, her eyes holding a deadly glint.

"Aye, I can see why ye'd wanna do that, lass," Wolf agreed. "Jack, tell the crew what we're about and tell em they're not to fire unless one of us tells em to."

"Aye Captain."

"I hope ye know what yer doin lass," the older man murmured.

"So do I, Captain, so do I," Ash thought, a feeling of unease growing in her stomach as she turned to look once more at the darkening smudge on the horizon; her past was finally catching her up.

**_  
Three_** hours later, the Royal Navy's flagship in the Caribbean, HMS Voyager, came clearly into view to the east. Ranged out behind her were HMS Valiant, HMS Elizabeth and HMS Jupiter, making a small fleet which vastly outnumbered and outgunned the smaller ship they were seeking. While they made no attempt to try and escape the confrontation, the crew of the Intrepid Explorer were nonetheless very edgy as the galleon neared their position. Each man on board appeared relaxed and at ease as the ship drew alongside them, but every one of them was ready to fight to the death if the situation became unpleasant. Soldiers stood along the railings of the Voyager, each holding a rifle which was trained on a member of the Explorer's crew. Ashanae stayed between Jack and Captain Wolf, as the three of them made their way down onto the main deck and waited for Norrington to appear. It didn't take long for the young Lieutenant to appear at the railing, his expression unreadable, though his eyes widened slightly as he saw that Ash was holding Jack's hand. The HMS Voyager dropped anchor and slowly stopped beside the Explorer, as James Norrington removed the thick entry port rope and positioned himself slide a plank across to assist with boarding. 

"Permission to come aboard?" Norrington shouted, ready to push over the plank to the pirate ship.

"Aye Lieutenant, ye may come aboard. But only yerself, no other may board my ship today," Wolf agreed.

"Very well, I shall come alone," the young man acquiesced. Knowing that having a boarding plank in place might prove too much of a temptation for the less experienced members of the Voyager's crew, the young Lieutenant climbed onto the bulwark rail and jumped. With the agility and precision of an acrobat, Norrington landed on the edge of the entry port of the Explorer, his hand grabbing hold of the bulwark rail to stop himself falling backwards into the sea. Ash took a step forward and extended her hand, a slight smile on her face as Norrington hesitated for a moment before accepting her aid. Wrapping her hand around his forearm, she pulled him forward onto the safety of the deck and grinned impishly.

"Hello James. That was a bold move," she greeted her former fiancé, her voice filled with laughter, and a touch of admiration.

"A boarding plank would have been too much temptation for some of my comrades," he admitted, smiling in spite of himself. "You are looking well, Lady Ashanae. The sea air seems to agree with you..."

"Thank you Lieutenant. So, how are things back in Port William? I imagine my Uncle was probably howling with rage when he discovered my unexpected departure."

"He was indeed, my Lady. He ordered us to depart as soon as your absence was noticed. We were under orders to return you to Port William immediately, and use any means necessary to ensure your safe return."

"One wonders then Lieutenant, why it has taken you so long to find us? A simple trip to Tortuga would have given you all the information you required to find us..."

"It did indeed. Unfortunately the information we were supplied turned out to be completely inaccurate."

"Oh? How so?" Wolf wanted to know. While his expression was neutral, his voice carried a hint of amusement which told James Norrington that he was aware of the Lieutenant's subterfuge.

"The information we were given led us in completely the wrong direction... totally the opposite to yours, as it turns out."

"Ah, I see. It's so hard to find trustworthy pirates these days, isn't it James?" Ash agreed, her eyes sparkling with glee.

"Indeed. I believe congratulations are in order, my Lady..." James looked pointedly at her left hand as he spoke.

**_  
The_** silence was deafening as the four stood on the main deck, no-one wanting to speak in answer to the unspoken question in James' voice. The seconds ticked by as each considered how to answer; how much did they reveal to a man they didn't know if they could trust? 

"Thank you Lieutenant," Ash said, finally breaking the uneasy silence. "And now that you've found us, I suppose you intend returning me to Port William?"

"My Lady, you are legally an adult now. I may no more force you to return to Port William, than I can force the weather to remain favourable. I believe however, that it may be wise to return to Port William…"

"And why is that?" Her voice held a dangerous note as she faced down the man she had almost been forced to marry.

"Because the trip may finally bring some answers regarding any questions there might have been surrounding the death of your parents, my Lady."

"What?? How is it that you know about that event James?"

"Your uncle mentioned it shortly before we departed. It appears that their deaths may not have been an accident, as was commonly believed."

"Ha!" she spat in disgust. "So, the scheming bastard finally got clumsy and let that information slip did he?"

"Ye knew?" Jack asked her, his expression shocked. "Ye knew their deaths weren't an accident?"

"I've known it since the day my uncle told me of their passing. I couldn't prove it though, and I still can't. Just because my uncle made the mistake of admitting being involved in murder, doesn't mean I could prove it to a formal court."

"There may be a way to do that, my Lady. Do you know of Commodore Anderson?" James asked her, his voice excited.

"Sean? I mean, Lord Sean Anderson, retired Commodore of the British Navy, currently residing in Plymouth with his wife and children?"

"Yes, that's him."

"I know him, he was my father's closest friend. Why?"

"Send word to him at once. While serving in the Navy, he had the power of magistrate. That power remains, even though he is retired. He has the power to seize and search anything your uncle left behind in England, including any papers which may be held by a bank or other such secure establishment." The young Lieutenant's excitement was obvious to all now, including those on the other ships. Not being able to hear what was being said, the soldiers onboard the Voyager subtly readied their weapons, making ready to fire if their comrade appeared to be in danger.

"We'll return to Tortuga. Ye'll be able to find a ship there that'll take word back to England for ye," Wolf told her. "Lieutenant Norrington, would you care to remain on board until we reach Toruga? To keep an eye on your charge, and make sure no harm comes to her, of course."

"I think that would be an excellent idea Captain," James agreed.

Wolf turned to look at Jack and continued. "Tell the crew to make ready to sail, Jack. We're bound for Tortuga."

"Aye Captain, right away."

Jack turned away and started walking towards the stairs which led below deck, wanting to be as far away from the British sailors, and Norrington, as possible. He had taken no more than five steps when a shot rang out, and he knew it was aimed at him. He stopped dead in his tracks, confused as to why he had felt no pain from the bullet.

"Guess ye missed mate?" he shouted over his shoulder, his tone jeering. Turning slowly, he threw a disgusted look at the men on the other ship, especially the one whose rifle was held higher than the rest. The look of horror on young Norrington's face alerted him that something was very wrong. A shiver ran down his spine as his wife turned around, her face so pale it was almost translucent. A sudden wave of fear swept over him as she extended her hand towards him, the other pressed to her chest. The white of her shirt was a stark contrast to the red that stained it, as blood seeped from the wound beneath her hand.

"Ash!" Time seemed to slow down as Jack stood, frozen to the spot, and watched his wife gracefully collapse onto the deck a few feet away from him. He rushed to her side and gathered her into his arms, pressing his hand over the wound in an attempt to stem the blood which flowed freely from her body, carrying with it her life...

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Ok, I admit it, that was a cliff hanger... _

_**Jack**: If yer not careful luv, ye'll be the cliff hanger...  
**Me**: OK, that's it! Your rum privileges are cancelled!  
**Norrington**: laughing She means it, Mr Sparrow. You better be nice to her, like I am  
**Me**: Norrington, stop gloating! You're no nicer to me than he is!  
**Jack**: Ye can't mean that darlin! Ye can't take away me rum!  
**Me**: Watch me!_


End file.
